Here we are, less than 48 hours before the polls close in the “Heart Of The I4 Corridor”.
And I have to tell you, yeah I’m a little concerned over what happens in the following days on the streets of Orlando.
We could have protests from one side, the other, or even both, depending on the results. I hope my hometown will exercise their rights with no violence and in cooperation with law enforcement.
But I also understand that there will be those that leech on to the movements and are there to only cause problems. Unrest. These are not the operatives that I’ve gotten to know from all sides over the years that understand that it’s about the message and getting leaders to act.
It’s not about violence against the community. It’s not about destroying the property of their hardworking neighbors.
It’s really important that Orlando leaders from all levels of government urge safety in the following days of the election.
I remember the night after the election in 2016. It was at Lake Eola where legions of residents who were upset at the results protested in darkness on the backside of the venue where the farmers market normally is. Afterwards they marched down the streets of downtown Orlando.
Those troublemakers I was talking about showed up and the police had to get involved.
Since then, violence in the streets during events that start out peaceful have become a more common occurrence. Orlando for the most part has been peaceful and I’m proud of them for that.
But we need to be prepared for another wave of emotion from the results and heaven forbid a situation where the legitimacy of the results or the transfer of power may be in jeopardy.
And that starts with our leaders and goes all the way down to our neighbors.